Autobiography is a classic American tale of one of the most misunderstood figures in American history. Malcolm has been and is viewed as everything from an evil racist hate-monger to the champion of modern day militant pro-Black radicals. What he was, in reality, was a remarkably intelligent and charismatic leader who reflected the ills of the society around him, changed throughout his life, and gradually evolved from ignorance to anger to enlightenment. Autobiography should be required reading for anyone who claims to have an opinion on Malcolm.

My strong recommendation is not simply praise for Malcolm; certainly it would be possible to write an uninteresting book on a compelling figure. My recommendation for this particular biography comes for the power and precision of Alex Haley's writing. Haley puts us in Malcolm's schoolroom, amongst the petty criminals of his youth, in the penitentiary, amongst the militants of the Nation of Islam, and in Mecca and Africa, where he underwent his final transformation. We see what Malcolm sees, and we feel what Malcolm feels. This is a critically important element in the success of this amazing biography. Malcolm started as an empty vessel into which the American Black experience was poured - with all of the racism and violence that this implies - and Malcolm reflected his experiences in his convictions and deeds. In that Haley brings the reader face to face with Malcolm's experiences we understand how and why Malcolm became the person that he became; he truly was a mirror to American society.

The great tragedy is that Malcolm's rift with the Nation of Islam brought resulted in his early death, just at the time that he was realizing his true purpose. Commenting on his experience in Mecca, shortly before his assassination, Malcolm comments "I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color." In this statement, and others, he acknowledges that his former view on race was merely a reflection of the American racism which surrounded him, and these are the views that he had internalized.

I'm actually not sure whether to call this book a biography or an autobiography. It's a purely first-person tale, but as a literary work Haley shines. Either way, the mark of a great autobiography/biography is that it allows you to understand the subject - his or her thoughts and motives. This is a daunting task for a subject as complex as Malcolm, and this book brings it off brilliantly. Very highly recommended.


a great American life   October 21, 2000
 34 out of 37 found this review helpful

I am not a racist in any form whatever. I don't believe in any form of racism. I don't believe in any form of discrimination or segregation. I believe in Islam. -Malcolm X

This was the final triumph of Malcolm X and the resolution that makes his life story into a classic American tale: that in the end, he was able to move beyond the chrysalis of his racial hatred and emerge an integrated enlightened being. I'm sure most everyone has either read this book or seen Spike Lee's excellent biopic, so we need not rehash the story too thoroughly. Anyway, what matters are the essentials. Malcolm Little was a street punk when he was exposed to the Nation of Islam in prison. This exposure, and the racial pride and anger that went with it, lead him to educate himself and get involved with the Nation, where he became one of the most effective spokesmen and organizers. A confrontational proponent of racial separatism and black self-reliance, during the Civil Rights struggle, he was yin to Martin Luther King's yang (or as I read somewhere, he was the Old Testament figure, King was a figure from the New)--the constant reminder to whites that if King's nonviolent methods failed to produce results, millions of righteously resentful young black men were waiting in the wings. But, when Malcolm X made a hadj to Mecca, he discovered that there were Moslems of all races, worshipping together peacefully, and that racism played no part in traditional Islam. And so, in the closing days of his life, he split from the Nation of Islam, adopting true Islamic beliefs and practices and earning the enmity of Nation leaders who had him assassinated. The arc of this story--from the gutter, to a redemptive anger, to a cleansing understanding, to violent death--is like something from Greek myth or Shakespeare, but it is a uniquely American tragedy.

I remember, as a kid, it was truly this easy: Martin Luther King was a good black guy; Malcolm X was a bad black guy. Upon reflection, I think that, even at his most inflammatory, Malcolm X defied this easy categorization. Who is to say that if he & the Black Panthers hadn't been willing to hold out at least the threat of violence, that whites would have moved to solve the Civil Rights issues as quickly (relatively speaking) as they did? More importantly, suppose the shoe was on the other foot, if you were a young black man in 1960's America, whose message would have had more appeal, Martin's or Malcolm's?

Actually, I have often wondered if black America might have been better served by a more violent tone to the struggle. Civil disobedience works precisely because it depends on the fundamental decency of the oppressor and the certainty that he will yield. But one result of the yielding party's giving in, is that they can end up imbued with a sense of their own magnanimity and sink into a deceptive mood of self congratulation. It might be better for the oppressed if there was more of a sense that they had taken what was theirs, rather than that it was given to them. I don't truly know.

Of course, the ultimate historic irony is that King, the peacemaker and accommodationist, was gunned down by a racist white man, while Malcolm, the rabble rouser and confrontationalist, was killed by rival blacks. Reading his life story, it is hard not to believe that Malcolm X's career was really just beginning. It seems possible, even likely, that the inner peace he had found in the true Moslem religion would have given him the moral and spiritually grounding which, combined with his oratorical gifts and incisive intellect, might have lead him to accomplish great things.

Martin Luther King is justly celebrated; he is an easy hero for white America to embrace. Malcolm X is more problematic, he has sharper edges, but is no less deserving of admiration and honor. His life story belongs on the shelf with Benjamin Franklin and Booker T. Washington and Whittaker Chambers and the other handful of great American autobiographies of self made men.

GRADE: A+


One of the Most Important Books   December 4, 1999
 19 out of 20 found this review helpful

Malcolm X is truly a powerful, significant, and essential work for all time. Why? Because you are able to witness how a man suffered from the effects of prejudice and his whole disposition was formed from it. You see how a very angry man stays angry at the "white devils" for most of his life. However, the unique aspect of Malcolm X is that he changed his views towards the end with the realization that his religion and own understanding gave him. This book serves as a learning experience, for one learns not only about racism and a mans struggle with it, but how to listen and read with a open mind. Many people get very offended at what Malcolm says and I can relate. However, your purpose as a reader should not be to judge Malcolm, but just listen to what he has to say, and learn from his experience. Knowledge, insight, and power of personal change are all gained from this story. I cannot stress enough the importance of having his autobiography in your memory. A highly recommended read.


THIS BOOK SUCKS!   September 30, 2004
 12 out of 75 found this review helpful

i'll admit the begging of the book is alright....but i'm in the middle, and i can barely finish going...This book is a great way to promote white racism...page after page of the white man being the devil...you can sum up the book thus far in a simple sentence...
"Malcom does drugs, finds "Allah," and hates white people."


This Book Is As Overrated As Its Subject   August 2, 2005
 11 out of 57 found this review helpful

I won't call him the author or call this work an autobiography, Malcolm X didn't write anything, instead he did the only thing he was good at doing: Ran his mouth at Alex Haley.
Black youth are encouraged to read these ravings; unfortunately, when they put this book down, they are led to believe that all the meanderings, half-truths and outright lies within its pages are facts or in the least, well grounded opinions. To offset this problem an impartial edition needs to be published, footnoted where Mistuh Malcolm throws out some "self-learned fact" or vents his contradictory philosophies, faulty because he still seethes hatred for whitey deep down.

As a side-note, I've noticed that almost all the so-called "African-American Classics" have an average of 4 or 5 stars. I find it very suspicious -- to say the least.
Is Amazon.com refusing to post most of the negative reviews of this book and others in this genre? After all, I've seen more negative reviews for the Holy Bible or the Quran or the Vedas. Yet, you want me to believe that this book or Iceberg Slim's "Pimp: The Story of My Life" are such well-crafted masterpieces of literature that they received only one or two 1 star/2 star reviews?
We don't want to offend black folks, do would we Amazon?